Genre

Another area, Jim, I think that sometimes dictates the lighting is thegenre or something those unwritten rules of the style of video you're shooting.You and I both work around a wide range of projects.And if I'm doing something for a nonprofitthey may want it to not look too overproduced.Because they don't want to be looking like they spenta fortune on their video project, even if they didn't.And you're shooting something for abroadcast news package, that's going to lookcompletely different than if you're shootingsomething for a major television network.How do you sort of balance out these unwritten rules?Do you do research?Do you try to find other examples to show them?>> Well, there's always that balance between what'sappropriate with time and resources and budget and expectation.

With you know, something that's I don'tknow, by definition good or appealing or attractive.I mean, I don't think anybody ever strives for anything less than pleasingto the eye, unless there is absolutely a creative reason to do it.>> Although some times they will say, Iwant this to be very simple and minimalistic.For practically that example I gave you, theywanted to match other productions that they've done.Like, oh, this one can't look so much better than allof our other footage so, make it good but tone it down.

Or, oh, don't make it look like we spenta fortune here because, it's going to send the wrong message.And then other times, they just want it to looklush with pools of light and make the set look enormous.>> Well, that's something as a free lancer and most directors of photography live inthe free lance world is your ability to step in to already existing situation.Like things that have been shot before you by multiple people and what have you.And and, and you know, sort of walk thefence of, you know, continuity and what's already been established.

With something that still is acceptably you know the aesthetic is acceptable.And that's part of, that's part of your skill set.It's not always about doing what I want to do and starting from scratch, you know.It, it, it is about collaborating in the big picture of the project.>> And sometimes, let's just be realistic.We show up on a set.We have some ideas in our own brain.But you ask the client, they have no opinion.You ask the PR firm or the ad agency, and they can't reach agreement.

So, you will walk into times where eitherthere are too many ideas or not enough ideas.And you have to sometimes be the last one atthe end of that creative chain to make it happen.So, do you sometimes plan to have twolooks that you can quickly switch over between?Or, do you just sometimes makean executive decision and hope everyone's happy?>> Well, there are plenty of times where you're,you're walking the line of interpreting what somebody might want.Or maybe only have the information in the, inthe sense of, we know what they don't like.

>> LAUGH>> And there are, there are plenty of grey areas and political areasof, of this process that you also need to have a skill set.And in interviews are very much in that category.You know, for example, many times, you may not have any idea the physical qualitiesand the demeanor of the interview subject until moments before, moments before.Especially if you're dealing with say, celebritiesor figures, people that have very limited time.

And there's, there's not been an opportunity to,you know, get all the information you want.In that case, yes.Just what Rich said, I will, you know, set upplan A, plan B, even plan C in terms of lighting.So which is extra work and extra time.But it may save you when you have literally minutes or seconds tostart rolling on an interview and you're seeing the person for the first time.And you, you've already had a plan.So if it's a matter of, it's much quicker to shuta few lights off rather than have to rebuild an entire setup.

Because you didn't expect the person to look a certain way or act a certain way.Or, or whatever you, whatever curve ball gets thrown your way.>> And there are always curve balls and what Jim's alluding to does take planning.So when we come back we're going to talk about some ofthe tangible steps you could take in order to establish a schedule.Whether you're working alone or with a largecrew, you still need to have a time schedule.If you're going to hit the goals you need from a production standpoint.

Resume Transcript Auto-Scroll

Author

Released

3/19/2014

Interview lighting should make the subject and the interviewer look great. But you need the right equipment and the right understanding of the shoot's goals to accurately control its look and feel. Join Rich Harrington and Jim Ball as they walk through the gear and information you need to properly light a video interview. Discover how to determine the mood and genre of the interview, properly expose your shots, establish a schedule for the shoot, choose a backdrop, and frame the shot. Plus, learn techniques for controlling the light with flagging, bouncing, diffusion, and other techniques used by the pros.

This course was created and produced by RHED Pixel. We're honored to host this content in our library.